Device for mounting a gun beneath the wing of an airplane



April 15, 1969 P, s u ET AL DEVICE FOR MOUNTING A GUN BENEATH THE WINGOF AN AIRPLANE Filed May 16, 1967 M coo United States Patent rm. or.from 7/04 US. Cl. 89-37.5 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A weaponssystem comprising a gun secured in a container which is slung beneath apylon of a wing of an airplane via a shock absorber which damps thetransmission of forces from the container to the airplane in a directionparallel to the longitudinal axis of the container upon firing of thegun.

The invention relates to a device for mounting a gun beneath the wing ofan airplane.

It is an object of the invention to provide a device which enables anairplane to be equipped rapidly with a gun, for the performance of amission, and which also enables the weapon to be removed rapidly whenthe mission is ended.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a device which protectsthe airplane from the considerable stresses which are developed when theweapon is fired.

It is a particular object of the invention to provide such a mountingdevice whose effectiveness permits the use of relatively high calibreand rapid-firing guns, while avoiding subjecting the airplane toexcessive stresses arising from the recoil effects produced when the gunis fired.

According to the invention, the casing or container in the interior ofwhich the gun is placed, is mounted on the airplane by means of adamping system.

The invention will be well understood from the following description,given by way of example. In this description, reference is made to theaccompanying drawing, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a schematic elevation view of a mounting device according tothe invention; and

FIGURE 2 is a graph showing the transmitted stress to the airplane asplotted against time.

The gun 10, with its barrel 11, the cartridge feeding magazine 12, thefeed channels for cartridges 13, for ejection of cartridge-links 14 andof cartridge cases 15, are housed and fixed rigidly in the interior of acasing or container 16. The barrel 11 of the gun projects from the frontorifice 17 of the container.

In accordance with the invention, it is the container itself, enclosingthe weapon and its accessories, which is fixed to the airplane,advantageously to the lower end of a pylon or mast 18, integral withwing 19, by means of a damping system 20, which may be of the spring orother type. The damping system 20 comprises means 21, 21' for hookingthe container to the pylon 18. The means 21 constitute abutment faces 30and 31 for spring means 32 and 33 which engage walls 34 and 35 of thecasing "ice 36 integral with the container. The means 21' comprises anelongated body 37 cooperating with ribs 38 and 39 for guiding slidingmovement of the unit constituted by the container 16 and the casing 36.The pylon comprises a hook release system 22, 22 enabling separation ofthe container from the wing.

In the course of firing, the damping action of the system 20 itself isexerted upon a mass which includes not only the gun, but also thecontainer, the ammunition to be fired, the cartridge cases, and which isconsiderably greater than the mass of the gun itself. For example, for agun of kg, the mass of the container, including the weapon, is of theorder of 300 kg.

The effectiveness of the damping device is then high. There is shown, byway of example, in the diagram of FIGURE 2, the value of the stressesWhich are transmitted to the pylon 18 in the course of firing a gun inwhich the recoil stress is approximately four tons. This diagram is anundulating line of which not only the average value, shown by the line25, is relatively small, of the order of one ton, but wherein, aboveall, the amplitude of the undulation is small, of the order of 200 kg.,thus avoiding the effect on the airplane of considerable cyclic stressesto which the structures or fastening members are particularly sensitive.

This effective damping device does not interfere with the good operationof the weapon: the damping stiffness for the weapon itself obtained bymeans interposed between the body 23 and the barrel 11 schematicallyshown at D remains that which permits good operation at the firing ratefor which it is designed.

What is claimed is:

1. A gun system for attachment beneath an aircraft wing havingsuspension means, said system comprising a container, a repeater guninside the container and secured thereto, ammunition supply and ejectionmeans for said gun inside said container, a casing secured to saidcontainer, a suspended device connected to the wing suspension means andpenetrating into the casing, said suspended device having oppositetransverse faces, and spring means interposed between the casing andsaid transverse faces.

2. A system according to claim 1 comprising a second suspended deviceattached to the wing suspension means and penetrating into the casingand comprising an elongated body positioned in said casing, and ribs onthe casing cooperating with the said body for guiding the casing andthereby the container for longitudinal movement of the containerrelative to the wing.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,380,358 6/1921 Cooke.

1,466,143 8/ 1923 Motta.

2,269,297 1/1942 White.

2,398,871 4/1946 Turnbull et al.

2,493,945 1/ 1950 Cocks et al. 8937.5

BENJAMIN A. BORCHELT, Primary Examiner.

S. C. BENTLEY, Assistant Examiner.

US. or. X.R. s9 44

